System for the protection of railroad-tracks and gas-pipe lines



(N M d 1.) 4 l o o e G. WBSTINGH0USE, Jr. SYSTEM FOR THE PROTECTION OF RAILROAD TRACKS AND GAS PIPE LINES.v No. 314,089. Patented Mar. 1"7, 1885'.`

W TVNESSES:

INVENTOR.

ATTORNY. A l

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicEQ GEORGE WEsTINGHoUsE, JE., E PITfrsBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

SYSTEM FOR THE PROTECTION 0F` RAlLRAD-TRACKS AND GAS-PIPE LINES.V

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 314,089, dated March 1'7, 1885.

i Application filed August 2l, 1884. (No model.)

.To aZZ whom z'may concern.-

` ment the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings,which make part of this specification, the figure is a transverse section through the road-bed and superstructure of a railroad, and a longitudinal section through a portion of a gas-pipe line, illustrating the application of my invention.

The object of my invention is to obviate liability to accident from the leakage of inflammable or explosive gas from a pipe-line at or near the tracks of a railroad 5 to which end my invention consists in the combination, with a gas-main, of a tight casing inclosing said main adjacent to a railroad-track, a connecting-pipe admitting gas at low pressure from the main to the interior of said casing, an escape-pipe fittedwith a relief-valve and leading out of said casing, and a gas-burner inclosed in a lantern located in position to be seen from the railroad-track, and communicating by a supply-pipe with said casing. The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

The operation of pipe-lines which convey natural gas or other high-pressure gas of an inilammable or explosive character across the line of or adjacent to a railroad-track is attended with danger from the liability to undetected leakage of gas from the main and its ignition by sparks from passing engines, involving the risk of an explosion, causing loss of life and property, and it becomes specially important and desirable to interpose the most efficient safeguards against such disaster. The application of -my invention enables this result to be readily and inexpensively effected without in any wise interfering with the usual and normal operation of either line.

In the practice of my invention I inclose the gas-main 1 at the crossing of the line of railroad 2, and for a safe distancesay one hundred feet or more on each side thereof-within a tight and strong metallic casing, `3, which is closed at each end and forms, with the main l,an annular chamber, 4, which is designed to be continuously charged with gas at a low pressure, the supply thereof being afforded by i a connecting-pipe, 5, leading from the main 1 to the chamber 4, and regulated either by a valve, 6, in the connecting-pipe, or by making the pipe of such small diameter as to reduce the supply-pressure to the desired degree. An escape-pipe, 7 one or more, the area of which is sufficient to admit of the pas sage of any excess of gas beyond the capacity of safe resistance of the low-pressure chamber 4,is connected thereto at any convenient point in its length, and is fitted at its outer end with a reliefvalve,8, loaded in correspondence with and not to exceed the maximum pressure which can be safely sustained by the lowpressure chamber,but preferably to discharge gas at low pressure. rIhe discharge-opening of the escape-pipe 7 is located at such distance above or laterally from the line of railroad as to be exempt from any liability to ignition of the escaping gas from fire that may be thrown from engines passing on the line. A lantern,

9, is supported in such position as to be in full Y and plain view of the train and track men of the railroad, and a gas-burner, 10, inclosed Within the lantern 9, so as to be protected from drafts of air, receives a constant supply of gas by a pipe, 1l, from the chamber 4.

In operation any increase of pressure in the chamber 4 resultant upon leakage from the main l will be shown by an increased flame at the burner 10, which, being observed by engineers or track-inspectors, can be forthwith reported to those in charge of the pipeline, so that the leak may' be located and stopped without delay. The extent of the leakage will be indicated by the character of the ame, and in the event of its becoming in excess of the capacity of the chamber 4, pending repairs to the pipe-line, it will be relieved without danger by the valve 8 of the escapepipe 7.

WhileI haveherein illustrated my improvements as applied at the crossing of a line of railroad, it will be obvious that they are similarly applicable when a pipe-line adj oins without crossing a railroad-track, as in the nature IOC) of a tangent to a curve thereon or parallel thereto in rook-cutting or other narrow passages.

I disclaim, broadly, a protecting-casing having an escape-pipe and safety-valve and a burner supplied with gas from the interior of said easing, such features being,` set forth in Letters Patent of the United States No. 801,191, granted and issued to me under date of July 1, 1884.

I claim herein as my inventionl. The combination of a railroad-track. a gas-main surrounded bya tight inelosing-casing for a portion of its length adjacent to said track, a pipe admitting gas at low pressure from the main to the interior of the casing, a lantern supported in position to be in View Yfrom the line of track, and a burner inclosed in said lantern and supplied with gas by a pipe from the casing, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination Aof a railroadtrack, a gas-main surrounded by atight inclosing-casing for a portion of' its length adjacent to said track, a pipe admitting gas at low pressure from the main to the interior of the easing, a lantern supported in position to be in View from the line of track, a'. burner inelosed in said lantern and supplied with gas by apipe from the easing, and an escape-pipe leading out of the casing and fitted with a relief-valve adapted to permit the escape oi' gastherefrom at a point beyond the aecess of iireproiected from engines passing over the railroad-track, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEO. VESTINGHOUSE, JR.

Witnesses:

J. SNOWDEN BELL, C. M. CLARKE. 

